There's always a certain amount of anxiety before I exhibit my dolls at a show for the first time.

This weekend, Nov. 16-18, I'll be back in western New York, exhibiting for the first time at the Kenan Center Holiday Gift Show.

The Kenan Center is a neat old brick building in Lockport, N.Y., about 15 miles from where I grew up in North Tonawanda. So I will get to see some of my family - and hopefully some old friends from North Tonawanda High School and Niagara Community College. I can't wait. Neither can my pretty Blonde Doll in Fur Stole.

The show runs 5-9 pm Friday, 10-5 Saturday and 11-5 on Sunday. It's a great way to find handmade arts & crafts to give to the lucky people on your Christmas list.

The schedule of craft shows that Joelle's Dolls will do in 2012 is still being sorted out. This is the time of year that I apply to be a vendor. I won't know if I've been accepted at some of these shows for months. This year, I'm not applying to some shows I've done in past years outside Central New York. But I do hope to add one new show in Lockport, NY, to the lineup. Keeping my fingers crossed that I'll see you at these shows in 2012:

June 16: Art on the Porches, Syracuse, NY
July 27-29: Montgomery Street Arts Cooperative show (adjacent to the Syracuse Arts & Crafts Fest), Syracuse, NY
Aug. 25-26: Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts, Buffalo, NY
Sept. 16: Westcott Street Cultural Fair, Syracuse, NY
Oct. 13-14: LaFayette Apple Festival, LaFayette, NY
Nov. 16-18: Kenan Center Holiday Gift Fair, Lockport, NY
Dec. 1-2: Plowshares Craftsfair & Peace Festival, Syracuse, NY